Munich

We are away for a family biking trip in the Dolomites, a mountain range along the Austrian-Italian border.

First stop, though, was Munich. We had a full day to explore and get used to the time change before heading over to Italy.

I took a few years of German in high school, and so, I am enjoying the chance to use a long-ago dormant part of my brain. It also is nice to be together as a family.

Here are my impressions of Munich:

Everyone was very friendly. I’ve read a bit about Bavarian culture, and I found that people projected a lot of friendliness.

The old part of the city is very interesting. At the bottom is a photo of the altar at an old church called St. Peter’s.

Very clean. Whether it was the subway or the streets, you saw almost no litter.

The food. Bavarian food is simple and hearty. It is heavy-laden with pork and potatoes. The Wiener Schnitzel I had wasn’t bad. But, a fried piece of meat is not something I often would order.

Diverse. There were many residents and visitors who are Muslim. I don’t think I’ve seen so many women fully covered up. August is a holiday month in Europe, and there were people from all over.

A birthplace for Nazism. One website called Munich the first home for Nazism. As a Catholic, I feel very bummed out about this (Bavaria back then was very Catholic), particularly when we were at the train station en route to Italy. I suspect that station was the site of many tears. It serves as a warning to me that we always should think critically about movements.

A few phrases of the local language went a long way. Mrs. T. and our son, who speak French, did all of the heavy lifting a few summers ago during our time in France. On this trip, I am on point. But, it is very easy, as most Germans don’t mind speaking English.

Air conditioning was very rare. In a very energy-conscious society, we found that shorts and quick-dry t-shirts were ideal during the day. It was extremely muggy and warm. Even at restaurants for dinner, I did not see anyone dressing up. Paris was much, much more formal, FWIW.

We are very grateful to be able to visit a new country. I am looking forward to more family time and the chance to cycle.